“handwritten newspaper created in late 1867 by Fenian prisoners aboard the Hougoumont, the last ship to transport convicts to Australia.

“Seven issues of the newspaper were produced, each issue carefully laid out and decorated by hand. Only one copy of each issue was made, which was then read to the convicts aloud. The aim was to provide entertainment and encouragement aboard the ship during its long and arduous voyage to Fremantle. The title refers to the Wild Geese: the Irish soldiers who had left to serve in continental European armies since the 16th century.

“The major contributors were John Flood, John Boyle O’Reilly and John Casey.

Irish Fenian Volunteer Poster (re. Wild Goose [AUS, 1867])

The documents provide a fascinating insight into life aboard ship. The documents contain songs, stories, articles, advice, poems, and even comedy. In addition to the diaries of Denis Cashman and the journals of John Casey and Thomas McCarthy Fennell, the journey of the Hougoumont was well recorded.

“One passage describes Australia and its history with more than a little sarcasm:

“This great continent of the south, having been discovered by some Dutch skipper and his crew, somewhere between the 1st and 9th centuries of the Christian era, was, in consequence taken possession of by the government of Great Britain, in accordance with that just and equitable maxim, “What’s yours is mine; what’s mine is my own.” That magnanimous government in the kindly exuberance of their feelings, have placed a large portion of that immense tract of country called Australia at our disposal. Generously defraying all expenses incurred on our way to it, and providing retreats for us there to secure us from the inclemency of the seasons…

“All seven issues survive, and were passed on by John Flood’s granddaughter to the Mitchell Library in 1967. The papers are bound into one book and are now part of the State Library of New South Wales collection.”John Boyle O’Reilly penned several poems for the paper, including The Flying Dutchman and The Old School Clock.

“On 9 September 2005, a memorial was unveiled at Rockingham beach to commemorate the Catalpa rescue. The memorial is a large statue of six Wild Geese.”

“The Fenian movement, or Irish Republican Brotherhood, was a secret society that flourished during the 1860s. Its activities included an armed rebellion against British rule in Ireland, which failed for a number of reasons. In 1865 hundreds of men were arrested in Ireland on suspicion of complicity. There were two elements amongst the men charged and convicted: those who were civilians, and those who were currently serving in the British military services. The civilian element were treated as political prisoners, whilst the military element were treated as ordinary criminals. In 1869 the civilian element were granted clemency and freed, whilst such consideration was denied the military element (Erickson pp.115-156).

“John Boyle O’Reilly [emphasis added] was an NCO in the 10th Hussars (the prestigious regiment of the Prince of Wales) when arrested in 1866 for assisting fellow soldiers to join the rebellious Fenian movement. Found guilty at his court martial, his death sentence was commuted to one of 20 year’s penal servitude which automatically meant transportation (anyone sentenced to seven years or more was transported).

“He sailed, along with 280 other convicts — 62 of them Fenians — on board the Hougoumont from Portland in October 1867. They arrived at Fremantle in January 1868, the last convicts to be sent to Western Australia. Their arrival also signalled the end of the convict era in Australia.”

Size and Format: “The Times.” was published on a good heavy quality of bond paper measuring 12½ by 15½ inches. It was four pages, two columns to the page.

Editor/Publisher: John McLean Harrington

Title Changes and Continuation: One of series of papers published by Harrington, including as The Nation, The Weekly News, Weekly Eagle, The Semi-Weekly News, and The Young American (Harrington), (1860-63).

General Description and Notes:

According to Michael Ray Smith, in his book A Free Press in Freehand, “The Times. was used to mildly criticize Harrington’s newly united country for too much government while also praising it as the best of all nations” (p. 9).

“In his inaugural issue of The Times., Thursday, October 17, 1867, Harrington told readers that he wrote to entertain and inform others and to entertain himself” (p. 92). “. . . Our paper is intended for a repository of Pure Literature, Poetry, , writes Smith.

“He [Harrington] used the symbol [of Freemasonry] to promote a Pine Forest lodge meeting on page three of The Times., November 7, 1867. The most elaborate visual element occurred on the front page of The Times. on Friday, February 19, 1869. Harrington placed art of the North Carolina State House on the top of that page” (p. 46).

It seems that the gap of time between publication of the two papers is owed in part to a paper shortage.

Alter identifies several citations of The Sanpitcher in regional newspapers of the day including Manti Herald, another handwritten newspaper, The Deseret News and the Salt Lake Telegraph.

Writes the Manti Herald in its March 20, 1867 issue:

“We had much pleasure last mail in receiving Number 1 of the Sanpitcher, David Candland, editor. The paper is published in the flourishing town of Mount Pleasant, and like the Herald is done upon a sheet of writing paper; but instead of being printed with the pen, it is written in common orthography, yet it is a neat concern and highly creditable to friend David, its publisher; and as in duty and friendship bound, we touch our hat! hoping that, like the sling in the hand of the editor’s namesake of old, the Sanpitcher will be an instrument in the hands of its talented editor, to assist in slaying the giant of error. We also solicit usual exchanges.”

On April 24, 1867, The Deseret News greeted The Sanpitcher with the usual attention given to new newspapers:

“From Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, with the editor’s compliments and good wishes comes Number 5, volume 1 of the Sanpitcher, ‘editor and publisher, David Candland,” a neat little news sheet of three columns, with a supplement filled with editorial tidbits and local items. We hear of one or two other interesting little papers of a similar character throughout the territory, illustrative of the taste and the desire for “news’ local and foreign, which keeps growing among the people. . . . Friend David has a taste for the ‘tripod’ and a spicy way of expressing himself.”

The Salt Lake Telegraph noted the new paper in its May 21, 1867 edition:

“This pithy little manuscript effusion is before us again. It has already reached number 9 at date of 11th inst. From its supplemental issue we infer that news making is on the qui vive. And how does it pay, Friend David?”

This was one of the most prolific and long-lived of the early Utah handwritten newspapers.

The paper was produced for an unnamed organization led by A.F. Frank with J.M. Haight as secretary. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin identifies the publication as a “manuscript temperance paper.” Presented by the Michigan Historical Collections via Robert Warner, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1966.

Like this:

Place of Publication: Aboard the ship Norwood on its journey from England to Western Australia with convicts, April 27 (date of first issue) to July 6, 1867

Frequency: Unknown

Volume and Issue Data: “Introduction” issue, April 27, 1867

Size and Format: See image of the front page of April 27, 1867

Editor/Publisher: Unknown

Title Changes and Continuation: None

General Description and Notes:

Convict shipboard paper en route from England to Western Australia. Irwin’s published account includes it as “Norwoodiana, or, Sayings and doings on route to Western Australia : a manuscript journal made during the 1867 voyage of the convict ship Norwood, April 27 to July 6, 1867.

According to Alter, the Manti Heraldand Sanpete Advertiser was all handwritten. It carried display advertisements, local news and some telegraphic new briefs with a Salt Lake City date line. Alter describes it as “a real newspaper in spirit and in fact, being the organ or propaganda of no one.”

“To our subscribers: We feel that an apology is due to our subscribers for the non-appearance of the Herald last week; and by way of explanation, may say that the ‘type’ we had previously used, proved defective, and we concluded to wait until we could get a fresh supply!”

Manti Herald (UT, 1867)

Number 7, March 30, 1867 carried the following story:

“Great Salt Lake City, March 22–I advise the brethren of Sanpete to keep their cattle where they will be safe, and not be out alone.–B. Young.”

Locations: Salt Lake City Public Library; front page, Vol. 1, No. 13, May 4, 1886, reproduced in Karolevitz (1970), 30., Mormon Archives (film) Ms d 7103 #1 and originals. [Note: A bound set of the Manti Herald and Sanpete Advertisers are held in the safe, off periodicals, sub-basement, listed on old card catalog, not computer]